Chapter VII: The Order of Death
The party had traveled out of Morroc headed north. Devlin had to abandon his plans about trailing the numerous parties searching for him. It was out of the question, after he realized the danger of keeping up. Training in a sped up pace would only cause further problems for his new allies. The only place they had to go was his home, Izlude. At least, there, they could rest, think, and most important of all, take their time.
They were in the desert southwest of Izlude when Eidenborough asked Devlin if he could visit the Land of Porings where he wanted to free his pet. It seemed nothing out of the ordinary so Devlin instructed the rest of the party with the exception of Cleo to head to Izlude and wait for them. He also instructed them to find lodgings that way they had a base, of sorts, where they could carefully plan their next move.
Eidenborough led them to the Sacred Land of Porings where he intended to release his childhood companion. It needed to be with its kind after spending nearly a lifetime with Eidenborough. He wanted his friend to live out the rest of its life in peace. He then saw Cleo looking at all the Porings clearly enjoying herself. He also saw Devlin looking the sparkling stream that went through the area.
"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" Eidenborough asked.
"It is." Devlin said. "It's peaceful. A tranquility the world has forgotten..."
"Have you heard of the legends about this place?" Eidenborough quietly asked. "It's quite something to hear. A lot of people go here in search of the Angeling, the guardian to all the Porings and its kind. People of all walks of life have gone here to gain the blessing it's supposed to give. No one has ever seen it. And the legend goes that those who are able to slay it are those who have been smiled upon by fate. A great fortune will come to you, but no one knows what that fortune it."
"I see." Devlin said mesmerized at what he was looking. "That is an odd Poring." He pointed to a Poring that was passing by that had wings. "I haven't seen that kind before." Eidenborough took a quick look and saw it. He saw the Angeling of legend. He quickly looked back at the Knight he chose to serve and was awe–struck. He has heard the rumors surrounding this knight, but he never imagined that someone like Devlin could be so tempting even to fate.
He didn't notice Devlin stand up and head for it. He was going to attack this beautiful creature, so rare, that only two pairs of eyes have seen it. Devlin was readying his strike, but as he came closer the force of his strike was repelled. A wall of white translucent light had appeared to receive his blow. The Angeling quickly turned to face Devlin.
Balls of white light were headed in his direction. He was still disoriented from the shock his body received. Suddenly, Eidenborough had jumped into its way. His armor had disappeared in the light, as if it were melted away. It torched his skin and he yelled from the pain. This got Cleo's attention as she quickly headed for the direction of the noises.
What greeted her eyes was a painful sight. She could see Eidenborough trying to stand with difficulty. He was struggling to keep his legs steady as he tried to defend his master yet again from the coming attack.
"Move out of the way!" Cleo screamed. "You'll die if you get hit again!"
"There is no greater honor than to die trying to protect your master!" he answered with grave resolve. "Help him. He must not die here!"
Cleo immediately went to where Devlin was leaning on a tree. He was trying to get up but his body was overrun with spasms which gave him no control over his own body. Cleo tried to heal and cure him so he could try to save Eidenborough from the Angeling's next attack.
Devlin quickly gained control over his body once again, and he got up running to where the Angeling was hovering in front of Eidenborough ready to attack. He grabbed Eidenborough's scythe and planted the end with the blade on the ground to thrust his body over the barrier. As he landed, with the coordination and precision of a seasoned warrior, he twisted himself to grab the scythe for a slash that would decide the battle.
Eidenborough was surprised by the maneuver, but he saw the adaptive nature Devlin naturally possessed. It was a nature vital for any warrior. He was yet again blown away by his master's skill. The sheer difference in their level of expertise alone proved that he still had a lot to learn, but he was the follower of who he believed the greatest knight he has ever known. He would improve one day, he knew he would. Eidenborough then fell on the ground exhausted but with a calm mind knowing his master was alive.
Cleo went over to him to heal his wounds and at least try to lessen the pain. Eidenborough was the proof of the kind of loyalty Devlin inspired in people. She was happy. She yet again witnesses a legend being born, but she had not seen all of it, not yet. As she helped Eidenborough up, she saw Devlin looking at the remains of the Angeling.
"What is this?" Devlin asked as he looked into the shining stone in his hands.
Cleo was staring in absolute disbelief. She could not believe what he held in his hands. The Holy Stone that was bestowed upon those who were truly worthy. Throughout history, a very limited number of people ever possessed it. These people were great, heroes of the ancients, but they never received the stone so early in life. It was, it was the—
"Emperium!" Eidenborough said in shock. He knew the stone's history, but couldn't believe his eyes. The gods have bestowed upon this young knight a gift that would rattle the world. "But how? Only the Holy Order bestows the Emperium on very select individuals. Even then, they only give out small chunks of it."
Devlin handed it to both Cleo and Eidenborough. They both very carefully examined it. It is true. The rarest rock, the most Holy rock, the Emperium had been given to Devlin through the Angeling. Eidenborough was slowly taking in the strange events one by one. And as moments passed and he slowly realized this was real, he found a new admiration for Devlin. Strange things were indeed happening, but it was all for the better, in Devlin's opinion.
As they examined the Emperium, a shadowy figure was carefully watching them. The figure was staring in disbelief as well as in shock. If everyone found out Devlin had an Emperium, and at that size, there would be chaos. He quickly left and left no trace of his presence.
"Lord Devlin, do you realize what this means?" asked Eidenborough enthusiastically. "People all over Midgard would know you and recognize your presence. Lord Devlin, this is exactly what we need for the others like us to recognize you. They will come to your service as we have!"
"Then we shall now be known as the Order of Death." Devlin answered quietly. Now, Cleo had witnessed all there was to this legend.
The party had traveled out of Morroc headed north. Devlin had to abandon his plans about trailing the numerous parties searching for him. It was out of the question, after he realized the danger of keeping up. Training in a sped up pace would only cause further problems for his new allies. The only place they had to go was his home, Izlude. At least, there, they could rest, think, and most important of all, take their time.
They were in the desert southwest of Izlude when Eidenborough asked Devlin if he could visit the Land of Porings where he wanted to free his pet. It seemed nothing out of the ordinary so Devlin instructed the rest of the party with the exception of Cleo to head to Izlude and wait for them. He also instructed them to find lodgings that way they had a base, of sorts, where they could carefully plan their next move.
Eidenborough led them to the Sacred Land of Porings where he intended to release his childhood companion. It needed to be with its kind after spending nearly a lifetime with Eidenborough. He wanted his friend to live out the rest of its life in peace. He then saw Cleo looking at all the Porings clearly enjoying herself. He also saw Devlin looking the sparkling stream that went through the area.
"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" Eidenborough asked.
"It is." Devlin said. "It's peaceful. A tranquility the world has forgotten..."
"Have you heard of the legends about this place?" Eidenborough quietly asked. "It's quite something to hear. A lot of people go here in search of the Angeling, the guardian to all the Porings and its kind. People of all walks of life have gone here to gain the blessing it's supposed to give. No one has ever seen it. And the legend goes that those who are able to slay it are those who have been smiled upon by fate. A great fortune will come to you, but no one knows what that fortune it."
"I see." Devlin said mesmerized at what he was looking. "That is an odd Poring." He pointed to a Poring that was passing by that had wings. "I haven't seen that kind before." Eidenborough took a quick look and saw it. He saw the Angeling of legend. He quickly looked back at the Knight he chose to serve and was awe–struck. He has heard the rumors surrounding this knight, but he never imagined that someone like Devlin could be so tempting even to fate.
He didn't notice Devlin stand up and head for it. He was going to attack this beautiful creature, so rare, that only two pairs of eyes have seen it. Devlin was readying his strike, but as he came closer the force of his strike was repelled. A wall of white translucent light had appeared to receive his blow. The Angeling quickly turned to face Devlin.
Balls of white light were headed in his direction. He was still disoriented from the shock his body received. Suddenly, Eidenborough had jumped into its way. His armor had disappeared in the light, as if it were melted away. It torched his skin and he yelled from the pain. This got Cleo's attention as she quickly headed for the direction of the noises.
What greeted her eyes was a painful sight. She could see Eidenborough trying to stand with difficulty. He was struggling to keep his legs steady as he tried to defend his master yet again from the coming attack.
"Move out of the way!" Cleo screamed. "You'll die if you get hit again!"
"There is no greater honor than to die trying to protect your master!" he answered with grave resolve. "Help him. He must not die here!"
Cleo immediately went to where Devlin was leaning on a tree. He was trying to get up but his body was overrun with spasms which gave him no control over his own body. Cleo tried to heal and cure him so he could try to save Eidenborough from the Angeling's next attack.
Devlin quickly gained control over his body once again, and he got up running to where the Angeling was hovering in front of Eidenborough ready to attack. He grabbed Eidenborough's scythe and planted the end with the blade on the ground to thrust his body over the barrier. As he landed, with the coordination and precision of a seasoned warrior, he twisted himself to grab the scythe for a slash that would decide the battle.
Eidenborough was surprised by the maneuver, but he saw the adaptive nature Devlin naturally possessed. It was a nature vital for any warrior. He was yet again blown away by his master's skill. The sheer difference in their level of expertise alone proved that he still had a lot to learn, but he was the follower of who he believed the greatest knight he has ever known. He would improve one day, he knew he would. Eidenborough then fell on the ground exhausted but with a calm mind knowing his master was alive.
Cleo went over to him to heal his wounds and at least try to lessen the pain. Eidenborough was the proof of the kind of loyalty Devlin inspired in people. She was happy. She yet again witnesses a legend being born, but she had not seen all of it, not yet. As she helped Eidenborough up, she saw Devlin looking at the remains of the Angeling.
"What is this?" Devlin asked as he looked into the shining stone in his hands.
Cleo was staring in absolute disbelief. She could not believe what he held in his hands. The Holy Stone that was bestowed upon those who were truly worthy. Throughout history, a very limited number of people ever possessed it. These people were great, heroes of the ancients, but they never received the stone so early in life. It was, it was the—
"Emperium!" Eidenborough said in shock. He knew the stone's history, but couldn't believe his eyes. The gods have bestowed upon this young knight a gift that would rattle the world. "But how? Only the Holy Order bestows the Emperium on very select individuals. Even then, they only give out small chunks of it."
Devlin handed it to both Cleo and Eidenborough. They both very carefully examined it. It is true. The rarest rock, the most Holy rock, the Emperium had been given to Devlin through the Angeling. Eidenborough was slowly taking in the strange events one by one. And as moments passed and he slowly realized this was real, he found a new admiration for Devlin. Strange things were indeed happening, but it was all for the better, in Devlin's opinion.
As they examined the Emperium, a shadowy figure was carefully watching them. The figure was staring in disbelief as well as in shock. If everyone found out Devlin had an Emperium, and at that size, there would be chaos. He quickly left and left no trace of his presence.
"Lord Devlin, do you realize what this means?" asked Eidenborough enthusiastically. "People all over Midgard would know you and recognize your presence. Lord Devlin, this is exactly what we need for the others like us to recognize you. They will come to your service as we have!"
"Then we shall now be known as the Order of Death." Devlin answered quietly. Now, Cleo had witnessed all there was to this legend.